Individual-letter-printing apparatus.



W. WRIGHT.

INDIVIDUAL LETTER PRINTING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-9.1906.

W. WRIGHT. INDIVIDUAL LETTER PRINTING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 9, 1906. I

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

IN1/mwa. l Wr W Anomvll w. WRIGHT. INDIVIDUAL LETTER PRINTING APPARATUS.

Patente 1313, 1915.

a s' s-sHEET s.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 9. 1906.

I- 9 l 3 5 9 Il "II W] T N S:

usaran strains rarnnr ormon- 'WALTER WEIGHT, 0F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

l'BVDUAIeLETTER-PRINTING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr.. 13, 191m..

.application led January 9, 1905. Serial No. 295,289.

Tc all whom it may concern l .lie it known that ll, WALTER WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ndiridual-Letter-l)rinting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

"lhis invention is a printing apparatus for producing imitation typewritten letters, one

object of the invention being to provide anA is a plan view of the machine with parts in section; Fig. 2 nis a rear end view of the same, with a part of the name and address chain broken olf Fig. 3 isa front end view of the same, with parts of the bed and track in seetiton; Fig. a is a longitudinal section of the frame and type bed, with parts' in elevation and broken away; Fig. 5 is aside elevation; Fig.V (3 is anenlarged vertical section of a part of the paper feed box; llig. 7 is a top plan view of the apparatus, the inking ribbon. and other `parts being' broken away; Fig. 8 `is a perspective sectioned view of the supporting drum for the chain of name plates; Fig. 9 is a similar 1View showing the name plates diagrammat-ically in position in their holders; Fig. 10 is a sectional View of the same.

Referring to the drawing, l represents `a frame supported upon legs 2, and including longitudinal sidemembers marked 3, which serve to confine the reciprocating carriage 4 .in place. The center of the frame, beneath the carriage, 1s formed to receive and support the body form-section 5, which comf prises a chase containing the assemblage of type or impression characters that printvthe bodyvpertion of the letter, exclusive of the .naine and address of the addressee. The latter are printed by a separate former/ction, as later described. Over the type passes a broad inking ribbon 6 of the same general character as used in typewriting machines and of a width equal to or greater than the width of the typed surface. This ribbon is smoothly stretched over a pair of guidefmembers or rollers 7 mounted in the frame at each end of the chase and wound at both ends upon spools 8 mounted on the frame, which spools are provided with gear wheels at their ends adapted to be intermittently operated by the racks 10 on the reciprocating carriage. The gear Vwheels 9 are :disposed at opposite ends of the two spools as shown in Fig. l, and thereiis arack 1 0 on each side ofthe carriage adapted to encounter' and rotate each wheel. Both racks appear in theend views of Figs.' 2 and 3, as well as in Fig. l, being there marked 10, as above mentioned. l/V ith each gear Wheel there is associated in any suitable manner a ratchet or slip joint between itself andthe body of its spool as shown in Fig. l, whereby it will rotate its spool when rotated in one direction by its rack, but will slip idly thereon if rotated by its rack in the opposite direction, and the ratchet teeth on each wheelare appropriately'faced (in opposite directions), so that whichever one is operating will draw the ribbon over the type, unwinding it from the other spooll llach ribbon spool 8 is .vertically adjustable in slots 11 in the sides of the frame, and may be lowered therein so that its gear wheel 9 will be out of thefpath of its rack 10, and under such circumstan es the ribbon will be advanced by theother spool. The ribbon may thus be moved in either direction, z'. c., from eitherspool to the other, as circumstances may require, the movement in either case being imparted to it by the reciprocating carriage and taking place at or towaid the end of the stroke in either direction. I have observed that as the ribbon adlarity of .the printed letter to an actual typei written letter, I have provided means for correcting such tendency vor reducing it to an extent that will render it unnoticeable.

This means is represented by the raclislO,l

which have a prolonged engagement with vances over thev type surface of the machine their ratchet Wheels 9, thereby imparting an y extentie@ orlQaa-Stenmoremeut t the ribtype'surfaces supported thereon, be'

bon, so that the ink thereon, between head and foot of the letter, at -any,given`.tiine, is

. substantially uniform.

The carriage 4` is adapted to move or slide on parallel upper and lower tracks formed in thevmain frame, so as to passover the desirably equipped Withball bearings as indicated at 22 and 23, and also with a-handle 4, The balls run in 4grooves formed in the carriage'and tracks respectively and thereby Lthe' carriage is confined against lateral displacement so that racks 10 thereon will reli-` counter and travel upon a track or rail 17 at `so as to be inclined in the opposite direcably engage the ribbon feeding mechanism v above described. The lower tracks-support the weight of the carriage, while the up er tracks hold the carriagedown when the ini-` pression is being made as will later ap ear.l lhe carriage carries the boxes 12 fo* `the shaft 13 'of theroller platen'or pressure-1 roller 14, said shaft 1 3 being seeuredeocene trically-\ to bearings-1,5' which can revolve in the boxes 12 at each' end. To each of said bearings l5 is secured a-depending platencontrolling arm 16 which is adapted to-'ention, thereby having been moved through an angle suiiicient to turn the eccentric bearings '15 in the boxes to raise the shaft 13 suf- I iciently to raise the lower side of the pressure-roller, which turns thereon, out of coni v.tact with the inking ribbon 6, so :that the surface vof thel rolleris not soiled by the ink in its-"return movement. The boxes'12 are capable' of vertical movement in their box frames 19 in the carriage and are adjusted therein by means of screws 20 and 'opposing springs 2.1, in suoli manner as that any yield-' ing of the platen surfaces'inust ,take place by virtue of the resilience o'f-the'platen itself 4rather than by yielding vof the bearings of fthe platen shaft, that is to say, the printing pressure is resisted'positively bythe ends of the screws 20. It will be seen that the'tWo screws 20 are intended .to' be adjustedso as `t0 maintain -tlie surface of the platen in proper f-relatio'n lto the "type surface.A The les ` printed.

carriage also carries a'paperfeed box for `the'supply of paper or letter-heads on which the 4imita-tion typewritten letters are ,to be AS 'willfjbe presently` seen, 'the slice-ts of .paper are'- successively and automaticallyfadvanced from this box -On t0 the top of the inking vripon and between the saine, andthe impr sion roller, being reA pression is been made. f *i -The paper feed-box 24'is oblique or generally rhomboidal in form, as vewedfrom the side, so that its pile of contained'sheets 25; (Fig. 6) 'lie thereinat an anglewith the bottomr 26 of the box, the top sheetof the pile being normally prevented from sli pin from the box by means of a knife-edge 1p 2 at the'front of the bottom of the box which rises infront of the lower edge of the forep moved from this position as soon asthe immost sheet of paper. The top of the front i of the vbox is alsocove'red, as shown at 28, to

prevent the paper falling forward there` from.y 4'The sheetsare normallypressed to` ward the'front of the box by a false back or follower 2 9havng pins 30slidingyiin slots 31.1n the sides vofthe'ieed box, said pins being connected t'o springs 32 which thereby normally draw said backend the `pile of sheets resting against the same, forward toward the frontof the box. The top or upper .sheet of the pile is thus ,held pressed against a roller 33, the shaft ofi which revolves in extensions 3A. from theil feed box.y `Asthe carriage moties fromright to leftjin` Fig. 4g

a gear wheel 35 upon the shaftof the roller comes intoengag'ement with a rack 36-xed adj ustably upon the rail 3 of the main frame and the shaft androller are thereby revolved in a left-handed edirection, thereby causing the top sheet of Lpaper` to beil-ifted up above the level of the lip v27. When the `carriage returns, the roller. is"revolved inl the 013-,

posite direction, causing the. top sheet of paper to descend and pass over the lip, the next's'uceeeding sheet having inthe mean time, by reason ofthe springs, been pressed close 'against said lip. Thus at 'the `corn-` menceinent of the return motion from left to .i

ri`.ght,the` lower edge of said sheet is, passed icc between the impression roller and` the ink- .ing ribbon which overlies the type surface as above described. Tlieshaft of the impres- '.sion rollerhaving now been lowered by rea.-

son'of-the timely engagement of the ariiislli with the'. tracks 17, as above 'ex il'aiiied, und

the eccentrics having` thereby \eeii'inoved through the necessary angle, 'the impression roller yhas now' been, brought into proper printing relation to the inking ribbon and ifio the type/surfaces, so that thefsheet ofpap'er is iiipped and pressed between the rollei` 'and the ribbon and type surface.

pression roller is rolled over the ribbon and Thus as. thccarriage moves-fiom left to right the im-` typer and a print istliereby made, upon the l paper through the inking ribbon. Coming now to the printing of the naines and addresses, it will be understood that the name'4 and address must be printed-` iitthe L head of the body ofthe letter as printed by i the type/of the body 'fornrsection and in propernia'rginal aliiiement with such rintedrmgtteg vusually ,innlinement the left-hand margin thereof. For this purpose the bed of the ymain frame is provided with an aperture, appearing in Fig. 4 and in the plan views, and in this aperture is mounted a rotary Adrum orcarrier 44 carried on a transverse shaft 41, which is journaled at its ends inthe main frame. The dru1n44 may be of such. length as to occupy the entire width o' the aperture, as indicated in Figs. l and 7, or it may be of a lesser length, 4being long enough in any event to accommodate the name and address to be printed. The drum 44 serves as a carrier and movable support for the successive naine and address form-sections. The latter in the present case, consist oi holders 46 each containing' a type surface 43 representing the name and'address of the addressee of one of the letters to be printed, such type surface being produced in any ysuitable manner, and the same alone or in combination with its holder constituting a name and address slug or plate. The drum 44 is provided with a number of flattened sides, four in the present case, which serve as seats or supports for the slugs or address-form sections. Thesc seats are desirably grooved (45) with a key-slot or otherwise formed to coperate with a rib or corresponding formation of the address slug, or the holder 46, so as to receive and accurately position the same, thus bringing the name andaddress type surface in proper alinement with the type surface of the body of the letter. The successive name and address sections in the present ease are linked together in the form of a chain, the links being shown at 42. The chain is initially wound uponlor trained over a rotary spool 53 provided with guide flanges at its ends and mounted" on a shaft 54 which is subject to the braking friction of a spring 51 shown in Fig. 5. The chain of naine and address form-sections is adapted to pass from this spool upwardly to the printing seats on the drumfor carrier 44 and as discharged from the printing seatpasses downwardly 'where it may he collected or wound on. a second similar spool 5.75,

vand the latter may be provided 'with a spring '50 for winding the chain up upon it as delivered from the carrier 44. The end lan'ges of the two spools 53 and 55 confine the name and address slugs snugly between them and are so placed as to guide the said slugs into position on the carrier where the will be in proper marginal' alinement wit one side of tne type surface of the bodyform section.-

The carrier 44 for the changeable name and address sections is provided with a number of radially disposedfarms 48 equal'to the number of its printing seats and arranged thereon in the path o on the carriage at one side of the type and inking ribbon. In the case, as shown, where a pawl 47 mounted the carrier 44 extendsl the full width of the frame aperture, arms 48 may be provided at each of its'ends and a pawl such as'47 provided on both sides of the carriage, as shown in Fig. 7. Such arrangement is preferable where very long address-form chains are used in order to equalize the strain 'and shock upon the carriage. The pawl 47 is pivoted to the bottom of the paper-feed b ox and it will be understood that the arms 48 are so arranged 'with reference to their re-' spective printing seats that when engaged by the pawl moving toward the rear of the machine, the carrier 44 will be turned onequarter of a revolution, thereby removing one name and address form section and bringing the next one into the printing position or impression plane. On the return of the carriage the pawl simply vrides over the arm without a'ecting it, as will be obvious. As the carrier 44 turns toward or into the printing-position just referred to a spring fdetent or finger 52 which is secured to the frame at each side, snapsinto the ends of the groove 45 thereby determining the correct position of the seat and the 'address section therein and maintaining the type surface of the latter in coincidence withV the printing plane.

In the operation of the machine, a stack of letter heads or sheets oi paper, is placed in the paper feed-box 24, so as to be urged forwardly against the holders 2S thereof and the roller 33 as above described. rllhe carriage is then grasped by the handle 4a and moved back and forth in the trackway provided for it, each outward stroke serving to start a single sheet of'paper under the impression roller which draws it down and lays it full length over the portion of the ,ribbon which covers the body and name and address form sections, at the same time making the impressionfrom both of these form-sections through the ribbon. Slightly before the roller reaches the oint where the addressees name is to be prmted, the feed- 4ing means whereby the address forms are advanced successively into printing position is brought automatically into operation, that is to say, the pawl 47 encounters and Arotates the carrier 44, so as-y to bring the the inking ribbon. It will be understoodthat the drawings do not attempt to illustrate the detail of the mechanical design of my invention. Y

Milt

'-th'ereover, a feed box and pressure roller ear'- voperated by the movement of the carriage for feeding in succession sheets of paper from the rfeedbon v between the,'press'ure 10 roller and `,t he type surfac`ed means, sub-l stantially as described. l

2. Anapparatus ofn the character described, comprising a frame, type-surfaced means thereon, .a carriagekrec'iprof'zatii'i'g 15. thereover, a feed'box anda pressure roller carried byy said carriage, transfer material over,. said means, and automatic 'means operl tedfby the movement jof'the carriage for .,feeding. in qsuccession sheets of paper from.

y20 thefeed box between the pressure roller and the transfer .'iriaterial,v substantially I"as described. Y'

3. In an apparatus of the characterde- .:s c1ibed, the combination of a frame, a carpressure roller on said shaft, means for re- A.c iprocating .said carriage .over said frame,

in ans for giving a partial rotation to the eccentric shaftto raise and'lower theroller: 30,

positiom-a plurality of individuallytypesurfaced means for printing changeable matter, type-surfaced means on saidframe 3- rfor printing peruianent matter, an inking 4L; In a printing machine, the combination'- of a support, a form of type thereon, a rota- 45.pressure roller bodily overthe form of 'type and in coaction with the printing .faces y thereof, a plurality of address''plates, and

'means Vfor 'movingsaid'.` address plates suc- 50 and into printingxposition. Q

5. lIn an addressing machine, the combination offa bed,l an impiessionrollenada ted mechanism ,adapted successively tofadvance t'iiv'el of said impression roller.'

x r 6.` In a niacliineof the kind described, the .-'fQffcombination of a support, a forin'tf type v thereon, @rotatable pressure roller, vmeans for moving the pressure roller bodily over the form of type and-1in coac'tiI `r`printing faces thereof, a pliiralgl lates,means for moving said:` plates fthe address plate. ried by said carriage, andl automatic means and into printing position, and a memberlyk holding the address plates in printing posii,

riage, an eccentrically* mounted. shaft, a'

alternately- .t'oa non-printing or a printing .ribbon over .botn' of said type-surfaced- .zitable pressure roller, means for moving the.

cessively in aI direction i transverse to the direction of movement ofthe pressure roller wi th thesuccessively in a direction transversetothe 1. nr'aapparatus of -the character de` scribed,ccmprising a frame, typesurfaced` means thereon, av carriage reciprocating direction of movement of the pressure roller and into printing position, and a detent device determining the printing position of 7. In' a machine of the kind described,` the combination .of a support, a form of type thereon, a rotatable pressure' roller, means v for moving the pressure roller bodily over. the form of-type and in coaetion 'with lthe 7a printing faces thereof,`a plurality of-address plates, means for'moving said address plates successively in a direction transverse to the directionof movement ofthe 'pressure roller tion. 8. In a machine of the. kind describedff the combination of a support, a form yof typei r thereon, a rotatable pressure roller, meansJ-Blif for'moving the pressure roller bodily over thev l i` form of type and in coaction with the printingl faces thereof, a plurality of address plates,

- in the. ,printing plane.

9; .Inf a machine of the kind described, the 95,

lcombination of a support, a form of type thereomwan ink ribbon. overlying the type, a rotatable pressure-roller, means for moving the pressure-roller bodily over the ribbon or type and in coaction with the printing faces 100 of the latter, plurality of `address plates," means for moving the same successively in a direction transverse to the direction fof movement -of the pressure-roller and" intoj `printing 4positi on beneath the said ribbon.

10. ,In amachine of the kind described,the combination` of a support, 'a form of type thereon, a rotatable pressure-roller, means fr for moving the saine bodily over the form of type and in coaction with the printing faces 1.1

thereof, a plurality of address plates, and a, member moving with the pressure.- roller Iadapted for moving said address plates' suc;v y cessively inua direction transverse to tlie""=-z.`l direction lof Vmove/ment 'of said pressurellf` roller and intoprifnting position. 111. In a machine o the kind described f v the combinatignlof a "support, a 'formof yto bodily travel thereover, and fee ing' Y 55,..

"i address slugs into printing position thereon .in a 'direction transverse to the path of'- type' thereon, a grotatablcy pressure-roller,-`

'meafns whereby the pressure-roller is bodily 120A reciprocated over the'form of'type in coacl said address'plates.successively in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of-the-.pressure-roller and into printing po sition.'

' Ifn'anapparatusofvthe'character dellV30 Cir ' meente Y f i;

scribed, the combination of a frame, a carriage, an eccentrically mounted shaft on said carriage, a roller on said shaft, means for permanent matter, an inking ribbon over both of said. type-surfaced means and beneath'the pressure roller, and means automatically actuated by the movement of the carriage for intermittently advancing said first-named typesurfaced vmeans in succes-P sion into the same plane as the second.

l 13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame element, a carriage, 'an eccentrically mounted shaft on said carriage, a roller element on said shaft, means for reciprocating one of the said elements relative to the other, a plurality of individually type-surfaced means for printing changeable matter, type-sur faced means on said frame for printing permanent matter, an inking ribbon over both f of said type-surfaced means and beneath the pressure roller, and means automatically actuated by said reciprocating element for intermittently advancing said first named type-surfaced means in succession into the same plane as the second.

14. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a frame element,a carriage, a pressure roller element on said carriage, means for reciprocating one of the said elements relatively to the other, an eccentricalijg, mounted shaft for` said roller, a plurlaliftyof'individually typesurfaced means for printing changeable matterytype-surfaced means on said frame for printing'permanent matter, an inking ribbon over both of said type-surfaced means and beneath the pressure roller, and means for intermittently advancing said rst named type-surfaced means in succession into the same plane as'the secondmeans.

15. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, comprising a frame, a carriage, a pressure roller on said carriage, type-surfaced matter on said frame for printing permanent matter, a plurality of individu.- ally type-surfaced means for printing names and addresses, a carrier for said means, a

shaft for said carrier, an inking ribbon over said type-surfaced means and beneath the pressure roller, and means actuated through the movement of the carriage for bringing said .pressure roller in contact With said typessurfaced matter during its forward movement and for raising said roller out of contact therewith on its return movement.

16. In a machine to produce a series of seemingly type-Written communications, the combination of a bed having means for lixedly supporting a form to print the body of the letter, a series of address formsmovable in succession to proper printing posi tion in relation to the fixed form, and a roller platen movable over both the :fixed form and the address form that is in printing position, the address forms having movement through the bed at approximately right angles thereto, to the printing position.

17. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a main form for printing the body printing the address, an ink ribbon overlying both said forms, a pressure-roller liav ing printing and return strokes and coactin With said forms' and ribbon on the printing stroke, means for separating the of the letter and a changeable -form tor r.

roller from the ribbon on the return stroke,

and means for advancing address forms successively in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the pressure-roller and into printing position beneath said ribbon and inthe plane oie-the main form.

18. Apparatus -Ior printing simulations oftypevvritten letters, comprising a frame, type-surfaced form-section for printing the body of the letter and a formsection for printing the address of the letter,a part forming a seat to support the address-printing section in the printing plane of the other section, said part being located be* two-en the side margins extended from the type surface oisucli other section, Where- ;,by the address ,"W'illl be rinted'betvveen the "right andleft hand margins of the printed matter` representing the body of the lett/er, an inl; ribbon` for both said form sections,

spools 'for said ribbon on opposite sides of the frame, a pressure roller coacting withl into the said seat-forming part, and feeding mechanism intermittently operated tov ad- Vance the ribbon over said form sections, substantially as described.

1'9. Apparatus for printing simultations of typewritten letters, comprising a bed supporting' a main type-surfaced formadapted to print the body of the letter and having a recess at oneeud of said body-printing form, the said recess occupying the space between the side margins of the type-surfaces representing the body 'of the letter, means for successively introducing din'ereiit address forms into the said recess, a support to hold the latter form in the printing plane in said recess, an ink ribbon adapted to cover both forms, a pressure roller coacting with both forms to make the impression through the ribbon, spools for the ribbon, and means for rotating said spools between impressions.

20. Apparatus oi' the kind described, com- BEST VILBLE COPY for printing'the body of the letter, a. support for a form -adapted to print changeable matter at one end of the body ofsaid main form, means, for moving successive forms to printing position on the said suppgxklneagls for determining the printing positionof such form when on the snppor't, a ribbon adapted tocover both forms, a pressure rollertravel-- nog bodily over'both formsioniake the'fimtracks and having antifriction bearings engaging the. grooved tracks vand preventing.

"lateral displacement of the carriage, a pressure roller journaled on the carriage, ribbon spoolssnpported one near each en d of the'tracks and at the ends of the type-surfaces therebetween, 'means on the'carriage for actuating said spools, means whereby the carriage and roller may be moved along vthe track, and means moving with thecarriage .for actuating thespools at the end'of the carriage travel.

22. In a machine of the kind described, the combination of a horizontal stationary 'bed,'a letterformthereon,'an ink ribbon disf. posed over the bed and form, means for juxtaposition with said letter feeding changeable forms successively into printing position beneath said ribbon and in pression roller. adapted to tralvel over the ribbon and a paper sheetthereon, to take an impression from both forms in oneoperation, and a device for operating said feeding .means duringthe printing .stroke and be fore the end of said stroke.

. 23.111 a` machine ofthe kind described,

the combination of a bed, an impressionV roller adapted to travel bodily .thereover,

' and feed mechanism actuated by said traveling roller for successively placingy 1address plates in printing position `With res ect to Ithe bed, an ink ribbon, and means ir imparting a long-step feed to said ribbon be-` tf-f24. In a machine of the'kind ,describedy Asaid bed, on which the ribbon winds and '1in- `eind type' tween impression strokes-of saidv roller., v

i the combination of a bed, an ribbondief posed. thcreover, spools at opposite ends of Winds, one of said spools .having a ratchet, feed mechanism for successively placing address vplates in printing position with re-A spect to the bed beneath said ribbon, an m. pression roller adapted to travel bodily over the said ribbon and the address, plate lbeneath the same, and an actuating member movedby said traveling roller, adaptedto' cooperate with said ratchet. Q5. In an apparatus of the kind described the combination of abcd, a formfthereon, a pressure-roller makingmore than a comv lete revolution in cooperation with said be an ink ribbon interposed between the roller and the form, means in fixedrelation to the' axis of the roller for supporting a plurality of sheets of paper and placing them, one after another, automatically upon the, ribbon, andmeans for ribbon". l i .v L

'26. In apparatus of the kinddescribed,`a bed or framesupporting a main forml oitype" and having a recess therein to receive'sccessive forms each adapted to print different matter, an impression roller coactingawith both forms and having its ,axis parallehwith the lines of type of both forms, an ink'rbbony between said forms and the-impression roller, means for successivelyA advancing intermittently advancing. the

forms to printing position in said reces'san means for imparting a `long-step movement to the ink ribbon between'impressions.

form, en imf '1727. In apparatus of the kind..described,`

the combination of a mainform, `aclia'rigeable form, means for changing` thechange` able form, a ribbon covering 'othfforina a pressure roller coacting with both forms, a frame therefor, a paper supply on such frame, means for automatically feeding single 'sheets fromfsuch supplybetween ythe ribbon and the pressure-roller, and-means for advancing the ribbon over both forms;` In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subsetibing` 

